Button-fastening machine.



G. W. PERKINS.

BUTTON FASTENING MACHINE.

APPLIcA'rIoN FILED 21:13.24.

Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

G. W. PERKINS.

BUTTON PASTENING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED 213.24, 1913.

1,070,170. Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WHL/155555' UNITE@ STATES PATENT OEFTQE.rj

GEORG-E W. PERKINS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO I-IEATONPENIN- SULAR BUTTON FASTENER COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ACORPORA- TION OF MAINE.

BUTTON-FASTENING MACHINE.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 12,1913.

Application led February 24, 1913. Serial No. 750,157.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE 1V. PERKINS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Button-FasteningMachines, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to a machine for attaching buttons to shoes andother articles by metallic fasteners, and is especially intended forthat class of such machines in which the fastener is formed from a wirewhich is fed through the eye of the button, the wire then being formedinto shape for the fastener, the button and attached fastener then beingcarried to position to be secured to the shoe or other article.

The invention relates especially to means for properly positioning abutton to receive the wire for the fastener.

The invention will be fully understood from the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novelfeatures will be pointed out and clearly defined in the claims at theclose of the specification.

1n the drawings,-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a racewayand connected parts embodying the invention and showing a portion of theoperative parts therefor, the parts beingshown in position where abutton has been carried under the placer and the placer is in clampingposition and the carrier members have been withdrawn. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1 after the slide has descended tocarry the button with attached fastener from beneath the placer to theanvil, and the carrier members which position the button beneath theplacer in Fig. 1 have been moved back and are in engagement with thethen lowermost button in the raceway. Fig. 3 is a view of the partsshown in Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 isa section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, some of the parts being stripped awayto show more clearly the engagement of the carrier members with thebutton. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a sectionon line 6 6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a view taken in the same direction asFig. 3 showing the carrier members at the forward end of their stroke inengagement with the button under the placer. Fig. 8 is a view of theparts shown in Fig. 7 showing the carrier members part way back to theirrearward position and in engagement with the spreader cams.

Referring now to the drawings,-1 represents the raceway and 2 theraceway cover, the buttons traveling` down the raceway with the eyes ofthe buttons in the groove of the raceway in the usual manner.

Any suitable form of mechanism for feeding the wire through the eye ofthe button and forming the loop and legs of the fastener and severingthe blank of which the fastener is formed from the length of the wiremay be employed, one form of said mechanism being shown and described inPatent No. 982,440, dated January 24, 1911, granted on my application,and it is not deemed necessary to show such mechanism in detail. In theaccompanying drawings of the present application a portion of themechanism for forming the fastener is shown similar to the mechanismshown in said patent.

3 is an arbor on which the wire 4 rests after it has been threadedthrough the eye 5 of the button 6.

7 is what is termed the former which forms the loop of the fastener andis attached to a former holder 8 which is reciprocated by an arm 9carried by a lever 10 which is actuated by suitable mechanism, said arm9 engaging with a slot 11 in the former holder. The legs of the fastenerare formed by a slide 12 which is actuated by an arm 13 carried by alever 14, said arm 13 engaging with an elongated slot 15 in the slide12. Means for actuating said levers 10 and 14 is fully shown anddescribed in said patent above mentioned. Briefly, the mechanismconsists of a rotary cam 32 which is provided with cam grooves which areengaged by rolls carried by the levers 10 and 14, whereby the former 7and the slide 12 are actuated at the proper periods of time in themovement of the machine. The roll on lever 10 engages with a cam groove53 and the roll on lever 14 engages with a cam groove 54 on the oppositeface of cam 32. Vhen the button is in the position for receiving thewire for the fastener, as shown in Fig. 1, means should be provided forholdingl the button against movement during the feeding of the wire andthe forming of the fastener.

The means which l have provided are as follows: The placer block 1G isformed with a cupped out under side which is adapted to fit over thehead of the button and is mounted on a movable stud 17 which may bemoved down to clamp the button at the proper time and which may belifted to release the button when the fastener is formed. Said rod 17 isconnected with a lever 18 which is actuated and controlled .in a mannerto be hereinafter described. Said lever 18 is pivoted at 19 to a fixedpart of the machine. ln the forni of construction shown the lower end ofthe lever 18 is bifurcated vertically to straddle a block 57 which isloose on the stud 17 and is also laterally bifurcated, forming earsbetween which a pin 2O projects from both sides of the block 57 toengage with said ears and form a connection with the said lever 18.Elongated recesses 21 between the ears 22 22 allow play for the pins 2Oduring the locking` movement of the lever 18. A spring coiled around thestud 17 between the block 5( and the placer block 1G enables the lever18 to move the placer down with a yielding pressure upon the button.

Then the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 with the former 7 andthe former holder 8 retracted the bent rear arm of the lever 18 restsupon the upper face of the former holder 8, thereby holding` the lever18 in position where its forward end is turned down to hold the placer1G in engage nient with the head of the button. A springll its lower endsecured to the frame and its upper end secured to the lever 18. Saidspring exerts a downward pull on the rear arm of the lever 18, and whenthe former holder 8 moves downward far enough for the former holder toride out from under the rear arm of the lever 18 said spring` ll-51 willpull down the rear arm of said lever 18, thereby turning` said lever onits pivot and raising` the forward end of said lever which therebyraises the placer 1G, as shown in Fig. 2.

It is important that the lowermost button in the raceway should at theproper time be advanced to the proper position beneath the placer toreceive the wire for the fastener and that the other buttons behind theadvance button shall be held in check. The means for thus feeding` andpositioning` the lowermost button in the raeeway and which forms thesubject of the present application will new be described.

Two carrier fingers or jaws ,2a-24, one on each side of the raceway, areslidably mounted respectively in a carriage in such of two blocks 25,25, one on each side of the raceway and tied together so as to move inunison. The tie shown in the (ilrawings is in the form of a yoke 2Gwhich is arched over the top of the raceway, forming a bridge, and whichis secured to the lower end of a rod 27, the other end of said rod 27being pivotally connected at 29 'to one end of a lever 28, said lever 28beingl fulcrumed at to the frame of the machine, the other end of saidlever 28 carrying a cam roll 81 which engages with the cam 82 mounted onshaft 38 which actuates the former 7 and slide 12 through the levers 10and 1li. Said cam 32 is so formed as to the portion which engages withthe said roll 31 as to give the proper time of movement to the lever 28and therefore to the bar 27 in relation to the movement of the former 7and slide 12. rlfhe roll 81 is held in engagement with the cam by aspringv 56, one end of which is connected with the lever 28 and theother end is connected with the frame.

T he Ainner ends 55 of the carrier fingers 2l: are preferably concave soas to fitl the curved side of the head of the button. rl`hcse fingersare formed with stop portions or shoulders which project to one sidesutlicientl y to engage the end of the blocks 25 at the edge of the slotin which the said carrier lingers slide so as to prevent the saidcarrier lingers from being moved inward beyond a limited distancesufficient to grip the buttons. Secured to the lower end of the racewaycover is a block 85 which is perforated to receive a slidable pin 86having` a head 87 which is engaged by a tension spring 88 to normallyhold the lower end of the pin down in front of the lowermost but-ton inthe raceway, shown in Fig. G, so as to hold the line of buttons in theraceway against movement until the proper time. Preferably the lower endof said pin is rounded or cam faced on its rear side se that if thebutton inunediately behind it is moved down with pressure against thepin the said pin 8G will be pushed upward, the spring 88 yielding forthat puriose and allowing the button to be carried down beneath the pin,said springl 88 forcing. the pin downward again as soon as the head ofthe button has ridden down beneath it. lll/Then the carrier fingers 24are in their most rearward position the inner ends thereof which engagethe button are directly in alinement with the lowermost button in theraceway which is in engagement with the said stop pin 8G.

Two swinging finger cams one on each side of the raceway at a littledistance therefrom, are respectively fulcrumed on studs a() which risefrom the head of the machine, said cams having cam faced portions 41which are adapted to be engaged by pins 42-42 respectively rising fromthe outer portions of the carrier fingers 24. A spring 43 extends acrossabove the raceway connected at its opposite ends with pins 44 risingfrom the finger' cams 39, said spring being under tension and tending todraw the lower arms of said cam fingers toward each other, but beinglimited in their pulling movement by the pins 45 rising from the head ofthe machinewhich engage the outer faces of the upper arms of the saidfinger cams. Then the carrier fingers are in their' uppermost orrearmost position, as shown in F 3 the pins 42 which rise from thecarrier fingers are on the inner sides of the finger cams 39, theconcave inner ends of the cariier fingers being then in engagement withthe opposite sides of the lowermost button in the raceway. When thecarrier fingers are moved down by the movement of the bar 27 said pins42 engage the inner cam faces of the portions 41 of the finger cams,thereby swinging the finger cams 39 on their pivots and spreading openthe cam portions 41 so as to allow the said carrier fingers to movedownward with the button. Then said carrier fingers have .moved down farenough for the pins 42 to ride past the lower ends of the cam portions41 the spring 43 which will have become distended by the swingingmovement of the finger cams will contract and pull the finger cams backinto normal position to the limit allowed by the stop pins 45 whichengage the rear arms thereof, while the carrier finger-s will continuet0 the lower end of their stroke, namely sufficient to position thebutton immediately beneath the placer 16. The bar 27 and therefore thecarrier fingers 24 will remain in the lowermost position holding thebutton until the proper time for returning the carrier fingers to theposition to engage another button. The cam 32 which has cam portionswhich actuate the former 7 and the slide 12 as well as the earrier bar27 are so constructed that the return movement of the carrier bar 27 andfingers 24 will take place at a predetermined time with relation to themovement of the former and the slide. The rear arm of the lever 1S isformed with a cam projection 46 which is engaged by the rear end of theformer holder 8 on the upward movement of the former so as to turn downthe lower end of the placer lever 1S and thereby bring the placer 16into engagement with the head of the button which has been positioned bythe carrier fingers. The return movement of the carrier fingers mayoccur at any time after the button has been threaded with the wire forthe fastener. The timing for the wire feed should be such that the wirewill be fed after the placer lever has engaged the button.

Vhen the movement of the cam S2 causes the return movement of thecarrier blocks 25, 25 the tension of the placer on the head of thebutton will hold the button with sufficient firmness so that on accountof the rounded edge of the button head and the concave form of the endsof the fingers 24, 24 the fingers 24, 24 will be slightly spread duringthe initial rearward movement of the blocks 25, 25 while the button isheld stationary by the placer. As soon as the blocks 25, 25 have movedback a short distance the pins 42 which rise from the carrier fingerswill engage the outer faces of the cam portions 41, as shown in Fig. 8and in the continued upward movement the outer cam faces of saidportions 41 will spread the carrier fingers apart from each otheragainst the tension of the springs 47 which engage the outer ends of thesaid carrier fingers until the said pins 42 have ridden up past the rearends 4S of the cam portions 41, whereupon said springs 47 will cause thecarrier fingers to snap in toward each other and engage the lowermostbutton which is then against the stop pin 86, thus gripping the buttonready for the next downward movement of the carrier fingers. When thecarrier fingers move down they grip the but-ton with sufficient firmnessso that the pressure of the button will lift the stop pin 36 out of theway of the button as already described, so that the button can ridebeneath it.

Guards 49 and 50 extend over the path of the blocks 25 in which thecarrier fingers 24 are mounted to prevent the blocks 25 from jumpingout.

As previously explained, the placer lever 18 is actuated by the formerhelder S engaging with the cam projection 46 to turn the placer intoclamping engagement with the button on the retrograde movement of theformer and slide. The threading of the wire through the eye of thebutton will take place while the former and slide are at rest. Thecontinued rotation of the cam will cause the former and slide to moveforward again while the placer still clamps the button, and en thisforward movement as soon as the former holder S rides down below the camportion 46 of the placer lever 18 the placer will be released from thebutton which will then be held in place by the wire. A continueddownward movement of the former and slide will form the fastener andthen carry the button with attached fastener' down to the fabric 51 onthe anvil 52, as shown in Fig. 2, and will drive the legs of thefastener through the material on the anvil. The formation of theengaging surfaces of the cam is such that the carrier fingers comprisingthe blocks 25 and rod 27 will be moved back into position for thecarrier lingers to engage the then lowermost button in the racewaybetore the lormer and slide more down.

1What l claim is:

l. ln comliination with a button rzweway, a reciprocable carriagest-raddling the raceway and movable parallel with the raceway, twoslidable lingers mounted on said carriage on opposite sides et theraceway and slidable laterally with relation to the raceway 'toward andtrom the pathway ot the buttons, tension mechanisnl which causes thesaid lingers to move toward each other and grip a button in the raccwaywhile the carriage is in its rearward position, means `for reciprocatingsaid carriage so arranged that during the l'or fard movement ol' the canringe the button gripped by the lingers will be carried to apredetermined position, and means tor spreading said carrier lingersduring the return movement alter the button has been positioned.

ln combination with a button raceway, a carriage having carrier portionson opposite sides ol" the raceway united together, means lorreciln'ocating said carriage par allel with the raceway, two lingersmounted respectively .in said carriers and being slidable in saidcarriers laterally with relation to the raceway independently ot themovement oli the carriage on which they are mounted, tension mechanismwhich moves said carrier lingers toward each other, so arranged thatthey grip a button in the raceway, means lor i'noving the carriage withthe lingers and gripped button forwardly to a. predetermined position,and means t'or moving the carrier lingers apart to enable them to gripanother button.

3. ln combination with a button raceway, a carriage having carrierportions on opposite sides ot the raceway united together, two lingersmounted respectively in said carriers and being slidable thereinlaterally with relation to the raceway, tension mechanism which movessaid lingers toward each other so arranged that they grip a bnttom inthe raceway, means tor reciprocating said carriage parallel with theraceway, so arranged that when the carriage moves in one direction thebutton gripped by the lingers will be moved to a predetermined position,means t'or clamping the positioned button, the head of the clampedbutton causing the said lingers to slightly spread during the initialrearward movement ol the carriage, and means for t'urther spreading thecarrier lingers during the return movement.

et. ln combination with a button raceway, two carrier members onopposite sides ot the raceway and which are movable laterally withrelation to the raceway to grip a button, a reciprocable carriage o-nwhich said carrier members are mounted, means for moving said carriermembers into engagement with a button in the racewa-y, means forreciprocating said carriage in a path parallel with the raceway soarranged that when the carriage moves in one direction the buttongripped by the carriers will be moved to a predetermined position, andclamping means whereby the positioned button is held against retrogrademovement with the carriage, the said carriage and carriers making aretrograde movement while the button is held stationary by said clamp.

5. In combination with a button raceway, two button carrier mem-.bers onopposite sides ot' the raceway, a reciprocable carriage stra ddling theraceway and movable parallel with the raceway, said carrier membersbeing mounted on said carriage on opposite sides of the raceway andmovable laterally with relation thereto, tension mechanism which causesthe said carrier members to grip the lowermost button in the raceway,means for reciprocating said carriage parallel with the raceway, soarranged that during the forward movement the button gripped by thecarrier members will be carried to a predetermined position, means torclamping the button in its said predetermined position, pivoted camswhich engage the carrier members during the retrograde movement of thecarriage and thereby spread the carrier members farther apart nntil thecarrier members ride past the engaging laces of the said cams, saidtension mechanism yielding to allow the said spreading and becomingoperative to close the said carrier members into gripping` engagementwith the then lowermost button in the raceway when the carrier membersride oli the engaging face of the cam.

6. In combination with a button raceway, two carrier members on oppositesides ot the raceway which are movable laterally toward each other togrip the lowermost button, means for moving the carriers and grippedbutton to a predetern'iined position li'or the button to receive afastener and then to move the carrier members back again, means liorclamping the button in its pre* determined position before saidretrograde movement ot the carriers, means for spreading the carriersduring the retrograde movement, means l'or antomatically moving thecarrier members into gripping engagement with the then lowermost buttonin the raceway after the said retrograde movel'nent, means for movingthe button and attached fastener to a predetermied position, and meansso arranged that the movements ot' the gripping carriers are controlledby the mechanism which actuates the button and attached fastener.

7. ln combination with a button raccway, two button carrier members onopposite sides of the raceway, means tor moving said carriers laterallytoward each other into gripping engagement with a button in the carriermembers during the retrograde l0 raceway, and means for reciprocatingthe movement and spread them to a position for carrier members soarranged that the moveanother gripping movement.

ment in a forward direction will move the In testimony whereof I aiix mysignacarrier members and gripped button to a ture, in presence of twowitnesses. predetermined position, means for holding GEORGE W. PERKINS.

the butto-n in its said predetermined posi- Vitnesses: tion againstreturn movement with. the car- WILLIAM A. COPELAND, rier members7 andcams which engage the ALICE H. MORRISON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

